Slap leather, S&M lovers: 'Thunder' to peal soon

Denver Post ^ | June 01, 2003 | Ann Schrader

[Ethan Clive Osgoode]

For three days in mid-July, up to 1,000 people from across the country will gather at the Holiday Inn-Denver International Airport to learn, practice and enjoy bondage, dominance and sadomasochistic sex.

The national leather event July 11-13, called Thunder in the Mountains, will offer speakers on alternative sex techniques, demonstrations, dungeon play parties, Ouchy the Clown, and a Saturday morning guided meditation service.

"This is an outlet for people who practice this lifestyle," said Rich Dockter, director of Thunder in the Mountains. "We want to do what we do without affecting anyone who is not a member. We are not seeking publicity."

The entire 256-room hotel and 70,000 square feet of meeting space have been reserved for those planning to attend Thunder in the Mountains.

Trenton Gary, owner of The Labyrinth fetish club in Lakewood, is the equipment coordinator and dungeon master director for Thunder in the Mountains.

Wednesday, the city of Lakewood closed The Labyrinth after a court issued a permanent injunction against the club. The sex club had operated since at least February at 5805 W. Sixth Ave.

Lakewood officials say the club, which offered activities similar to those advertised for the July convention, violated adult-business zoning regulations. It is unclear whether Gary will seek another Lakewood site for the club.

At the July event, security will be strict, IDs will be mandatory, alcohol and drugs will be prohibited, and no one under 21 will be admitted. The hotel staff will be excluded from the "dungeon' where participants act out fantasies.

Dockter said the event, the fifth one in the Denver area since 1998, puts thousands of dollars into the local economy.

Members of Thunder in the Mountains have been warned to use common sense and not to act outrageously in public hotel areas.

"If you would not wear it or do it in front of your own grandmother, do NOT wear it or do it in the public areas at Thunder in the Mountains (even for those of you who have pervs for grandmothers)," the group's website says.

Ken Somday, general manager of the Holiday Inn, said the hotel hosted the organization's meeting last year and said participants were "very well-behaved."

"I don't endorse their views. I rent space," Somday said last week. "They can do what they want as long as they aren't breaking the law."

William ReMine, a Littleton lawyer, said in a written memo outlining legal issues for the 1999 Thunder in the Mountains event that Colorado laws and Denver ordinances on public indecency do not apply to the event because "none of the activities are done in a public place or where they might be expected to be viewed by members of the public."

Access is limited to people who agree in writing to attend as members and promise to follow an extensive list of etiquette rules, he said.

ReMine said the event offers education, with dungeon parties giving opportunities for conference participants "to exhibit their proficiency or to try out new techniques learned in seminars."

Susan Wright, spokeswoman of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, said people need to learn how to perform sadomasochistic techniques "safely and sanely."

[Ethan Clive Osgoode]

Sounds like a Libertarian convention.

[Cathryn Crawford]

Where's my ID? ;-)

[tomakaze]

jeeze why does everything have to be a "lifestyle" - doesn't anybody just "do stuff" anymore?

[sheik yerbouty]

The group's motto was said to be: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but whips and chains excite me!"

[The Brush]

Susan Wright, spokeswoman of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, said people need to learn how to perform sadomasochistic techniques "safely and sanely."

I wonder if Clinton is attending this year. I'll bet he'd make a wonderful guest speaker.

[Just another Joe]

Where's my ID? ;-)

Planning on doing a 'piece' about this event?

[Joe Brower]

Just when you thought you'd seen everything...

Ouchy the Clown

[Cathryn Crawford]

Nope, I'm not the resident sex columnist.

[theFIRMbss]

How long will this thread
live? Will pictures or words
summon down the ZOT?

[Ethan Clive Osgoode]

Ouchy, meet Buffo...

[Just another Joe]

Nope, I'm not the resident sex columnist.

Oh, OK. I thought by your tagline that maybe you were. ;^)

[Diverdogz]

IIRC, last year it was in St. Louis...and was called "Beat Me in St. Louis".

[Snake65]

Be fun to go but I'm tied up at the moment...

[Cathryn Crawford]

Nope, the tagline was supposed to be a deterrent to the perverts who love to follow me around. ;-)

[Zavien Doombringer]

[clamper1797]

Be fun to go but I'm tied up at the moment...

Dang ... you "beat" me to it

[joesnuffy]

Will PETA have a booth there...
what do they use
Naugahyde?

[Cathryn Crawford]

LMAO

[MikalM]

jeeze why does everything have to be a "lifestyle" - doesn't anybody just "do stuff" anymore?

In San Francisco, the SM/BD crowd refers to itself as "The Leather Community"!

[tomakaze]

re: In San Francisco, the SM/BD crowd refers to itself as "The Leather Community"!
 
sigh.
I'm tired of fighting all this modern thinking. fine. I give up -I'll embrace the trend! - so let it be know that I'm coming Out! yep that's right Out - nobodies gonna opress me anymore. here it is: I really enjoy panfried chucksteak and yellow hominy w/ sourcream! I'm gonnna shout it from the rooftops! That's right - dont even think about oppressin or not hiring me!
it's *my* lifestyle choice. And there are more of us ChucksteakHominarianSourcreamies than you normies think there are!